


existence.

by tash_xo



Series: jatp oneshots [1]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, like minor minor theyre there for like 1 line, minor julie & luke & reggie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28536033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tash_xo/pseuds/tash_xo
Summary: All Willie wanted was for the night to take away all his thoughts, any whisper of the blond drummer he'd once crashed into. Unfortunately for him, his subconscious had other ideas.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Series: jatp oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2192499
Comments: 11
Kudos: 100





	existence.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic in three years & my first willex fic! i hope you guys like it :) comments & kudos are always greatly appreciated.  
> & a big thank you to meg (@booboosangel) who proof read this and helped me with ideas, ily <3
> 
> jatp fans find me @carriewilsn on twitter

The subconscious works in mysterious ways. Willie just wanted some space, wanted to skate away and ignore all his emotions, ignore how he was trapped here and Alex was passing over, ignore how much he didn’t want to lose him, even though it was definitely the best option he had. But his brain was always thinking of Alex, no matter how hard he tried to put him out of his mind. Which is probably how he ended up in front of the museum.

It was almost midnight, so the museum was closed and empty. Like it had been when he’d brought Alex. Before, when it had just been the two of them without a care in the world. Before he ruined everything by taking them to Caleb. Before he’d effectively ruined the (after) life of the most wonderful person, and his best friends. He never should have taken them to the Hollywood Ghost Club, but they’d wanted a way to be visible, and he had wanted to do everything to help Alex that he hadn’t even considered that Caleb would stamp them as he had him.

He stood in front of the building for what felt like an age, before taking a big breath and stepping inside. He made his way to the bench where he and Alex had shouted all of their worries away. Somehow, in such a short period of time, he had wormed his way into Willie’s life and heart.

He had played the Orpheum tonight – they all had. Opening for Panic! At the Disco, no less. Willie would have given anything to see them play, to see Alex in his element, but it was too dangerous. He couldn’t risk Caleb finding him watching. He had pretty much forbidden him from seeing them until they joined him. And watching their concert would have been the worst place to be caught.

They were getting their unfinished business, actually finishing it. He was so happy for them, of course he was, but it left a gaping hole in him that hadn’t been there a couple weeks ago. Part of it was that he would never complete his unfinished business. He didn’t even know what it was, but even if he did, there was no way Caleb was going to let him cross over. That was not a part of their bargain. His soul was Caleb’s, and there was no unfinished business that could be completed quick enough to do before he noticed. But the other part, the bigger part of the emptiness, was because of Alex. Willie knew that. He had never met someone who he clicked with that quickly. Someone who just wanted to spend time with him, whatever they were doing. That must be why the thought of him crossing over was so upsetting.

Or there was the other explanation. He had never really, truly been in love before, but he imagined that this was what he was feeling. May as well admit it to himself, since there was no one else to admit it to. He would never get the chance to tell Alex, but he could at least be honest with himself. He had fallen in love with him. The cute drummer who had died from a bad hotdog. The boy who’s mind raced a hundred miles a minute, with every question known to man. The ghost Willie would have followed anywhere, if he was able. He missed his smile, the way it felt holding his hand, the feeling of his arms wrapped around him. Would they have had more embraces like that? What would it have felt like to have his lips on his?

This line of thought was dangerous. He was never going to get a chance to find out, so there was no point in dwelling on the unknowns. But his head was filled with images of the blond, so he may as well indulge in fantasies.

Spending the nights running around Hollywood. Teaching Alex to skate. Introducing him to Justin Bieber and his empty pool, perfect for skateboarding in. Watching Alex rehearse and perform. Asking him to be his boyfriend.

His face felt hot, his nose stuffy. Without realising it, he had started crying. He stared numbly as a few stray tears dropped into his lap. Head placed in his hands, body bent forwards, he let the emotions overcome him.

* * *

They were free. Julie had saved them. Alex had absolutely no clue how that worked, but for right now he wasn’t going to question it. He was allowing himself that luxury. They had escaped a painful removal from existence, so he deserved it. And they had played the Orpheum. They had finally played the Orpheum and lived to tell the tale. Well, not exactly lived, and there wasn’t really anyone to tell the tale to, exactly, but you’ve got to count your wins somewhere.

Actually, there was one person he wanted to tell the tale to.

The three ghosts and Julie had been cuddling on the couch in the studio, none of them willing to give up the blessing that was the ability to touch Julie. Which is why, when Alex stood up and extracted himself suddenly, the other three looked at him curiously.

“I have to go find Willie. He thinks we’ve crossed over.”

Luke and Reggie glanced at each other, grinning widely, but it was Julie’s soft smile and answering “Go get him, tiger,” that emboldened him even more. He poofed out of the studio to the place where he and Willie had first collided, not quite sure where to begin looking for him.

The street was a bad idea. There were still a lot of people around, and if Willie was here he wouldn’t be easy to find. Alex started jogging down to the bench where they had first chatted, when streams of afterlife questions had been flowing from his mouth, as if someone had turned the tap on and forgotten to turn it off.

The bench was empty.

Alex stared at it for a long moment, almost trying to make Willie appear by imagining him there, but he didn’t appear. With one last glance around, Alex set off in the direction of the only other place that held meaning to the two of them; if he wasn’t there, then it would be a long night searching.

The lights were off in the museum, but for once that didn’t deter him. He only cared about seeing if Willie was in here. What if he was? Would he be happy that they hadn’t crossed? That they were free of Caleb’s mark? What if he wasn’t? Why was he suddenly overthinking this?

All of his worries slipped his mind as he entered the next room, seeing another person hunched over on the bench he and Willie had moved. Not just any other person. It was Willie.

A gut-wrenching sob echoed through the empty room. Alex stopped still. Willie was crying. This wasn’t how he had expected to find him. He stepped forward slowly, lightly, until he was stood directly in front of him. His eyes must have been tightly shut, for though his hair covered his face, he didn’t look up and see Alex. He hadn’t registered that he was no longer alone.

“Willie?"

* * *

Willie had been sat on the bench for about five minutes, overcome with emotion. Tears streaming down his face, sobs coming out in full force. He hadn’t been this upset since, well, dying. He was so overwhelmed that he didn’t realise he wasn’t alone until someone spoke his name.

_“Willie?”_

He slowly unfolded his body and glanced up, into the worried eyes of one cute, blond drummer.

“Alex?” He whispered, afraid that speaking too loud would shatter the illusion that his mind had surely conjured.  
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”  
“Am I okay? What about you? Shouldn’t you have crossed over by now?” Willie stood up gradually, careful not to make any sudden movements. “Are you even really here?” He murmured.

“Oh,” Alex breathed, with a knowing expression on his face. “Yes, I’m really here. Come here.” He wrapped his arms around Willie, and for a moment, Willie didn’t care if it was his imagination. His arms snaked around Alex’s torso and squeezed so tightly that Alex wouldn’t have been able to breathe, if he’d actually needed to.

“The Orpheum wasn’t our unfinished business.” Alex spoke softly, so as to not spook Willie further, as it was evident that the skater had been going through something. “And I don’t really understand it, but after the show, when Julie came to see if we’d passed over, she was able to hug us. And then Caleb’s mark lifted. I don’t know how, and right now I’m not questioning it. I just, I needed to find you and tell you.”

Willie held on even tighter, ever conscious that his tears were falling onto Alex’s shoulder. “I, uh, I thought I’d lost you forever. That I was never going to see you again. And I hated it.”  
“I’m right here. I’m right here, I promise.” Alex kissed the top of Willie’s forehead, and Willie fell even more in love with him right then.

Willie drew back, just enough to look at Alex. He hadn’t noticed properly when he first saw him, but he looked handsomely dishevelled, in a light pink blazer and a white shirt which was unbuttoned to about halfway down his torso. His hair was messy and in his face, and Willie was convinced he had never seen anyone quite as beautiful as him. He shifted his gaze to Alex’s eyes, which were still glistening with concern for him, another thing Willie loved about him. They hadn’t crossed over, they had almost blinked out of existence, and Alex was worried about _him_. He didn’t deserve him, but he was going to make sure he cherished him. Taking a deep breath, he started, “I have something to say.” Alex nodded for him to continue.

“The thought of losing you was the worst thing I could have imagined. It felt like there was an ache in my soul, that nothing else could have soothed. So I need you to know, Alex, that I am so deeply in love with you.”

Alex stared at him, eyes searching his face for clues as to whether he was genuine. Apparently finding an answer, he stuttered, “I, uh, I..” then searched his face again, and pulled his face towards his own.

When their lips met, all worries of Alex not returning his deep sentiments left his brain. His lips were as soft as he’d imagined, and though he had been pulled forward with some urgency, their kiss was sweet and tender. Alex’s hands cupped his face, gently, and Willie’s hand had moved to grip the back of his head. Alex was the first to pull back, resting his forehead against Willie’s, and whispered delicately “I love you too.” And Willie was not to be held accountable for pulling Alex back to his lips.

After they broke apart again, Alex wiped the tears off of Willie’s face, and Willie noted that he was wearing a dopey smile that he was sure was mirrored on his face.

Willie gave Alex a full glance once over, noting how good he looking in the 3 piece. A small smirk returned to Willie’s face, as he exclaimed, “You clean up good, hot dog. But you didn’t need to get all dressed up to come and find me.”

Alex blushed bright pink, as he seemingly stumbled for words. Willie’s favourite version of Alex was flustered Alex. He laughed, loud and heartily, all the sadness of the night forgotten. Alex looked exasperated, but also glanced at him adoringly as he continued to laugh. Soon enough, Alex was laughing too, Willie’s amusement too cute to ignore. There was a lot that needed sorting, Caleb’s control of himself, how they had managed to break free of his mark, but all that could wait. They could figure it out together, but for tonight, they would just forget about all their worries and exist together.


End file.
